Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2: Beautiful Freedom
by Akiyama-64
Summary: We of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Community present to you a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon based collaborative fanfiction PMD2 . Many original characters, different plot, and all done with teamwork by most of our site. Enjoy this.
1. Chapter 1, Calder Lake

I show you this, a collaboration done by our whole site. From now on in this fan fic, most of the work is not mine, but rather the community. Now enjoy our work, because it was not easy to do over the months.

This chapter is written by LH (me), proofread by Eeveelution and shadowslayer468

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**Chapter 1, Calder Lake.**

The yellow glow of the sun's radiation reflects off of the lake's crystal surface as it rises from above the plateaus to the east. Finneon, Goldeen, Luvdisc and other fish pokémon swim under the glaze of Calder Lake's waters.

Behold Calder Lake, an oasis that lies northwest of Brine Cave, southwest of Quicksand Cave and east of Miracle Sea. The mappers don't show our name on the map, even though Calder Lake is there. Around the shores lie the slopes of plateaus on the north, south and east sides. Forming an inward bowl that shields us from the sandstorms that come from up north in the burning Northern Desert and Shimmering Desert. Water streams down the steep and sometimes gentle slopes of the plateaus. Most Pokemon think that the water comes from within the burning sands and rocks of the plateaus, for there is no snow nor rain in this arid place. But yet Calder Lake's waters are oval, full, and from the west to the east side it would take a Golduck 24 minutes to swim the whole distance back and forth. The winds from Miracle Sea make ripples in the lake's waters and cool during the peak of day.

Our town, simply known as Calder Lake, lies on the western coast of these waters. Each home is crafted from slates of sandstone that are happily lugged into town by Machoke. Then cemented together to form the walls, floors and ceilings of our homes. Although our roads are only sand, many of the residents enjoy the feel of it between their toes. One nice thing about the sandstone is that it keeps our homes cool during the day, but warm during the chilly nights. We have various Water and Ground types, along with anyone that can take the heat or cool off in the lake.

The Kecleon stand around the center of town provides each and every family with everything they could need, along with other businesses. Whenever someone gets sick, or—Arceus-forbid—heatstroke, every nearby citizen helps out and ensures a quick recovery back into normal life.

. . . But that was before it all happened.

I'll come to think of Calder Lake after that incident as more than just a peaceful lakeside town in the desert. In what was perhaps a week, my town became scarred due to the marks of an evil force that came down from the north. We always thought our peace was eternal. We were wrong.

It started on a sunny summer day around noon. There were a few streaks of cirrus clouds high in the sky but other than that it was another hot day which gave everyone a reason to dip in the lake. I was walking back from the lake down the sandy road with sandstone buildings on either side, small holes with windows and stone doors were what I saw on each side with the walls. I chose to visit Kecleon for a few apples, then go home to my parents for the night.

Oh how rude of me I didn't introduce myself yet! Before I go any further, my name is Marsee the Marill. I live in a two bedroom stone house on the south side of the town. My parents are both Azumarills.

"Three apples will suit my parents, I think that's what they wanted..." I thought to myself as I bounced along the road towards the Kecleon stand. "Well, they'd better like the food anyway..."

I wore a browned grass hat on my head. Most Pokémon around here are able to handle the sun in their eyes, but I prefer to have some cover. I got it from Kecleon a year ago, and it feels very comfortable, as if it were made for my head. I also carried a brown bag slung over my right shoulder to my left side.

"Oh, Marsee!" Kecleon looked out from his stand noticing my footsteps, always happy to greet customers. "You look refreshed as always; did you have a nice swim in the lake again?"

"Yes, I did. Wooper, Quagsire, and Buizel all gave quite a race in the water as always." I hopped onto the counter so he would be able to see me. I always told Kecleon what happened that day; everyone did. As a matter of fact, Buizel walked down the road just then. "Oh, what do you know, Buizel, did you came back too?"

"Marsee..." Buizel nodded at me then Kecleon. "What did you tell him so far?"

"Just about the race."

"Did you tell him who won?" Buizel slid his chin at me, here we go...

"No." I said, rolling my eyes as he started boasting again.

"So all four of you swam west to east then back across the lake?" Kecleon asked.

"Yes." Buizel answered. "And I won, ah ha, well then again I'm the fastest swimmer in our age group, right Marsee?"

"Ehh..." I nodded. "I'm thirteen or so after all. You're lucky I didn't win."

"Oh please, I wouldn't lose to a girl!" Buizel exclaimed.

Buizel has an ego when it comes to things he's good at, I just nod and smile when he starts raving about him winning another swim, shooting the longest water gun, the usual for him. In fact, everyone simply nods and smiles when he says this--in fact the green Kecleon is doing it right now. Besides, we all know he doesn't challenge the adults for this kind of stuff. Our smiles are pity for him, and our nods shake off our slight resentment. He may be annoying, but he's perfectly harmless.

"Anyway..." I turned my head towards Kecleon, and sniffed the fresh red apples, most likely from Apple Woods. "I need three apples, please."

"Yes ma'am, that will be 300 Poké please." Kecleon spoke with excellent manners as he reached for the apples in his cool, shaded stand. It seems pretty dark in there too, but evidently he knows his way around. "Great, I see you have the 300 Poké ready so here you are!"

I put the apples in my brown sack I had been carrying, and Kecleon put the Poké coins under the counter then asked if there was anything else he could do.

"No, I'm fine, thanks." I smiled then jumped off the counter onto the sand.

Ouch! I forgot that the sand is hot to the touch due to the sun. I jumped up, surprised, then realized it was normal and looked south down the road towards my house. Another set of footsteps stirring the sand got my attention, and from behind Buizel came a Grumpig. We all turned our attention towards this newcomer, we've never had a Grumpig around our town before. We've heard about them, like every other type of Pokémon, but not much else aside from appearance.

"I assume you're new..." Buizel locked his eyes on Grumpig's eyes. "You just visiting?"

The Grumpig turned his head up from the sand towards Buizel. His posture was strictly vertical, yet his smile peeled out from under his snout, giving a warm welcome that barely seemed to be too warm for this weather... He carried a large green jug belted onto his waist, which we assumed carried water. Slung over on his right shoulder was a brown sack full of his possessions.

"Good afternoon." He greeted. His voice didn't snort in any way, which seemed strange, because I had learned that Grumpig was a pig, and pigs snort...

"You too," said Buizel.

"And yes, I'm just visiting."

"Do you have a name?" Kecleon asked.

"Yes, Grayboar," he answered.

"Grayboar..." I pondered on his name... "Never heard of you before."

"Oh I'm sure you haven't. I haven't been here before, you see?" Grayboar said. "Although I must say this place is very hot; if that lake wasn't here you wouldn't be living here, would you?"

"Of course not," I replied warmly. "Calder Lake's waters are just right during even the hottest days. All drinkable too; it tastes very fresh. Have you tried it?"

"Oh, yes I have." Grayboar answered. "Tastes better and cleaner than any river I've ever come across."

Grayboar appeared to be searching his eyes across every inch of the town's layout, but of course that was natural I assumed. New Pokémon are naturally curious of new places, wanting to take in the views, weather, and feel of wherever they go.

"You need a tour of the town?" Buizel asked. "I'll be sure to introduce everyone here, even myself."

"Hmm..." Grayboar slightly frowned at Buizel's offer then returned to his smile. "Well, I've been walking around this town for about an hour. It's pleasantly small, I would say, just right... But thanks for the offer, young man."

It must have been how we were smiling at Buizel that made Grayboar decline. Well, it was smart, it would have been him talking about every single big thing he's done and of course the phrase "Aren't I a winner sir?" would pop up in no time.

"Have a nice visit Grayboar. In about one hour these plain buildings will be spread with business banners for things ranging from the dinner place to the special berry and seed shop run by Shiftry. I'm sure you didn't think these plain stone buildings were more than just homes." Kecleon smirked at Grayboar.

"I see, they do this because...?"

"Because a lot of them prefer to hit the lake and relax during the peak of day. Which leaves me as the prime businessman during the high heat, but I don't mind. Of course, this is the center of town; the homes are more towards the outside ring of all the stone." Kecleon explained.

"Oh, okay," Grayboar nodded.

"Hmm, see you later." Buizel left the scene. Everyone waved at him as he walked west and out of view.

Grayboar locked his ears and eyes on Kecleon's talk about the many things he's seen in his years in the stand. The town and lake in general were also some of the things Kecleon talked about. It all seemed to attract Grayboar's fancy, and while they were talking, I decided I should get going home now and start our little dinner. So I nodded to them in farewell as I went south towards my home.

"Hmm, just another guest lured in by the water while he was exploring I guess." I said as I walked over the sand.

Heat comes not only from the sun, it also radiates off of the surrounding bricks of the buildings and the sand below your feet. It can really dry your tongue if you don't get into a cool shaded place soon. However, in a short time I knocked on the door to my house and opened it. I looked right at the door to my room, then left to my parent's room, then front left to the living room... I smelled the aroma of fruit–various fruit like berries and apples coming from the open room front right. Then I walked from the plain sandstone entrance room into the room I smelled the aroma.

"Oh what did you make, mother?" I asked my Azumarill mother as she stood over a rock counter.

"I dried some berries so you can taste the full sweetness of their sugar, just the way you like it." She stood back away from the assortment of dried goods so she could point her arm at them. "I've had my share, go ahead and eat as you wish, there's plenty of water too."

I set my bag with the three apples inside on top of the counter and quickly took four dried Oran berries into my hands and chopped away at their sugar inside their skins.

This room is the food and water storage room, and it's where we keep berries and apples on the shelves carved into the rock wall. The floor is slightly worn down from all the Pokemon walking on it. The lighting is provided through small holes on the east side of the room, which sends squares of light onto the gray, sand-covered floor. Counters are on most of the walls, providing space to work with food. And of course, a decent table for three is in the corner right of the door when you come in.

"Wow, how long did you dry them this time?" I asked.

"Oh, about since morning after you left for the lake." She answered. "You know father is still there too, right?"

"Yeah, he loves water a lot."

"I guess." She focused on my eyes. "How did you like the berries?"

I must admit as always, my mother's dried berries always satisfied my sweet tooth at any given time. Of course, we do eat berries wet sometimes, but most of the time the only thing we would eat wet is apples. Even dried apples had crisp texture, as the chips cracked inside your mouth when you chew.

"I love them!" I proclaimed.

"Of course you do! Give mommy a hug." She opened her arms, and I jumped into them to embrace her motherly love. She rubbed her head against mine as she held me, just as usual. And so was the next thing she said—average, but nonetheless sincere.

"I love you Marsee."

"I know, mother."

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The site where this collaboration was done is listed in my profile, and it's my home site. Can't list it here because the URL got messed up by the uploader :/ We do invite you to visit since it has become a family over there you could say.


	2. Chapter 2, Sand and Stone

This really is a collaboration done by a site (though small). As the editor of this collab, it was a massive pain at times to get work done. I've never seen any such site-wide collaboration by bulbagarden or serebiifourms or any other fan fic site I've know of. This is not two or three authors in some partnership, this had more than 3 authors, wonderful proofreaders on-site, and reviewers to check on what we're doing all on a site to be done by the site. You can do better? Sure, try that, like to see what other sites can improve upon based off of what we've done.

Yeah, I think it's a pretty new concept to do collaborations for fan fics sitewide.

_Written by AquariusCyclone (AC), re-done by Syam08 and LH64, proofread by Shadow and Eevee, with Mario_bros_fan's reading._

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**Chapter 2, Sand and Stone.**

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Grayboar climbed up a steep sand-blown hill, the ocean waves crashing against the rock coastline to his left. He was about twenty kilometers north of Calder Lake. Once at the top, he entered one of ten large, red, camouflaged tents just as a surprised-looking Heracross was blown out of it in a cloud of electric smoke.

The Voltorbs and Electrodes smiled from within the few camouflaged tents, waiting for the lead Electrode's order. They stayed still in an almost perfect shape of a pyramid, fitting the tent's outline.

Heracross quickly stood up on the sand and saluted. "Welcome back, General Grayboar!"

"How are they?" responded Grayboar, jerking his thumb toward the tent.

"They're certainly . . . determined and strong." said Heracross, looking at several of his new bruises.

That's how you work with General Grayboar. He always gets good news. The bad news is always saved for your doctor later.

Grayboar turned around and faced the Voltorbs and Electrodes. There were fifteen of them waiting. The Electrodes grinned with anticipation. Even the Voltorbs seemed to be grinning.

"Well?" shouted an Electrode. "How is it?" He bounced with a small fizz of electricity surging out of his mouth.

"Cakewalk. No defense force is posted any place in the town. The only one that can possibly harm us is that merchant Kecleon. Other than that, it's filled with healthy Pokémon, wasting their time with sloth and water." the General said with slight disgust.

"Really?" asked Electrode. "They wastin' time?"

"Couch potato pokemon! We'll give them a proper treatment!" shouted another.

"Yes, it'll be easy." said Grayboar. "Make sure you cause as much destruction and capture as many inhabitants as possible tomorrow. We'll move south at four and take them at five."

"YES, GENERAL GRAYBOAR!" The crowd of Electrodes and Voltorbs began scuffling around like wild animals in the night sky.

Grayboar turned around and walked out of the tent. "Captain Heracross, calm them down. I don't want to be woken up."

"But sir!" sputtered Heracross. But the tent had already zipped.

The camp was mainly ten large, isosceles red tents arranged in a concave curve. It looked like the bloody teeth of a shark next to the sea.

Grayboar made his way to the officer's tent. Inside, he found Dusclops, Drapion, Gabite, and Nidoking sitting patiently in a circle.

"Well?" said Dusclops. "Should we go?"

"Yes." said Greyboar. "It'll be no problem. As I've told the explosive ones, destroy, capture, and burn. No strings attached. No one will stop us."

The clouds glowed fiery orange as the sun vanished in an eerie green flash over the ocean's horizon. Night began, and the troops prepared.

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Marsee woke up from her mother shaking her.

"Marsee! Get out of bed quickly! We have to go!"

"Wha?" mumbled Marsee sleepily. Before she could rub the sleep from her eyes, an explosion outside snapped her eyes open. "What?" she said again, and bounded over to the window.

Marsee saw a house across the street in ruin, flames sprouted here and there, pokemon running there and here, some with a ember of fire on the tip of their heads. She watched in horror as the next door neighbor desperately tried to keep them out from her house. A Voltorb started flashing outside her stone door, and another explosion rocked the house to pieces. Marsee glimpsed numerous round pokemon entering the ruins. The neighbor was out of sight. In the next second, a large explosion blew up the house next door into rubble and fragments, just like before.

"What's going on?!" cried Marsee.

"We have to hurry!" cried her mother.

"But-" Marsee gasped as a Drapion wrestled her father outside in the burning street.

"You better quit it!" hissed Drapion, pinning down the Azumarill. He reared his fangs, but then got hit in the face with a rock. He groaned and looked for the thrower.

Marsee turned to the thrower. "Buizel!"

Buizel turned, winked at Marsee from the middle of the street, then threw a bigger rock that hit Drapion in the gut and knocked him into the sand. Marsee's father got up and ran toward the rock house Marsee stood in.

"You can't catch me!" laughed Buizel as he dodged several rounds of Pin Missile. A dark figure appeared behind him.

"Look out!" cried Marsee. Buizel stopped and turned just as the large figure slashed him from the waist up to the chin, making him spin to the ground. He didn't get up. Marsee yelped and covered her mouth. She caught a glimpse of Grayboar picking Buizel up and throwing him towards his comrades to be tied up, before her dad dragged her away from the window.

"Quick, the back door!" he yelled, but the front door burst open and Grayboar appeared with several Voltorbs, Sableye, and a Dusclops.

"Seize them!" ordered Dusclops. The Sableye came into her room.

Marsee felt her mother's hands close around her. Next thing she knew, she was hurling out the back window and rolling on the sand towards Calder Lake's mirror of the starry night sky.

"Go!" yelled her father before the Sableye overtook him, tying him up and sedating him with several fury swipes.

Tears came to Marsee's eyes as she picked herself up. Sadness became anger. She picked up a rock fragment next to her and threw it back through the window, but it missed, and hit the wall next to Grayboar.

"Get her!" yelled Grayboar. The Voltorbs surged forward.

Marsee saw the Voltorbs rolling after her, she turned, and ran from the village into the borderline vegetation around Calder Lake's waters. As the smoke and flames shrunk behind her, she found herself running into the cover of trees.

She looked back and saw her pursuers following her path as she headed uphill. Looking forward, she saw a tall stone wall in her path. Mustering all her strength, she sprinted forward and leaped over the wall.

On the other side, she fell three meters before bouncing on her head then landing on her stomach. She pushed herself off of the grass, breathing heavily, when the sound of a Voltorb about to explode came from directly the other side of the wall. . . .

Marsee ran. Her arms waving limply behind her, her legs moving automatically. Without a thought, she jumped around a large oak tree and held her back fast to its bark just as the wall exploded.

Large and small burning chunks of rock flew in every direction, flying past Marsee. The oak tree cracked and snapped as the rocks tore apart the bark. She closed her eyes and waited for the rain of fire to stop.

A minute passed. Silence . . . Marsee risked a glance around the tree and saw the ruins of the stone wall, with several unconscious and bruised Voltorbs lying at its base. She sighed in relief and fell forward, taking step after step. Too exhausted to think, she stumbled forward and made her way up the plateau, out of Calder Lake, towards Brine Cave.

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Funny thing too, Grayboar turns out to be one of Syam's characters he sent in for the story, and he used Grayboar a lot in his Create Your Own Adventures before this collaboration came about.


	3. Chapter 3, Brine Cave

_Written by KAR. Re-written by LH, reviewed by AC and Syam08, and proofread by Shadow and Eevee._

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**Chapter 3, Brine Cave.**

Marsee trudged on for what seemed like an endless time, with nothing to look forward to at the end, if there was one, of the dark sandy road. The coastline she walked down sprayed cold, biting salt water onto her. Clouds formed west and south, beginning to shut out the sun's warmth as a blanket of gray covered the sky over her head. Because of the cold sea and cloud cover, she faced an unfamiliar climate. The salty brine and howling winds were nothing like the warm waters and gentle breezes of home. But the climate was the least of her worries, compared to what happened last night. And now, she has had little sleep, no food, and was extremely homesick for Calder Lake.

"Great, now I'm cold, hungry, AND tired... with my family gone," Marsee bitterly thought. Tears came to her eyes again, but she trudged on, knowing the only path was forward. Ahead of her laid a massive cave, so she started to make her way towards it in hopes of a decent shelter. "It's going to rain very soon, so I better try to get into that cave. . ."

Surrounding the cave were sea-gunk covered black rocks, some wedged into the sand and others poking up through the water. Some rocks were much bigger than Marsee, others mere pebbles. And the smell was just nasty! To put your nose against that rotting scum. . . The thought was unbearable to Marsee. The cave presented itself as one solid rock with a hole leading into its depths. With a mess of rock-covered ground Marsee realized she was standing at the entrance to Brine Cave.

This should be fun! It sounds like a nice watery place!" chirped a Vaporeon as she and two friends approached the entrance to Brine Cave from the east.

"Looks like it's not going to be so nice, eh Vaporeon?" Blastoise replied smugly as he looked at the dark, damp rocks along the coastline. "Nice weather too. . ."

"Yeah, yeah it is actually. . ." Vaporeon half mumbled with a hint of bitterness as Flareon approached them.

"Let's go through the usual checklist before we move on, ok?" Vaporeon and Blastoise sighed as they went through the pre-dungeon check with Flareon.

The first thing that stood out to poor Marsee were the voices of three pokémon. "Who could be out here? Are there more of those bad Pokemon?" Marsee thought in a panic, trying not to look because they might spot her.

"Apples?" a firm, yet confident voice asked. "Check!" exclaimed a soothing female voice that calmed Marsee just by listening to her. "Orbs?" the same confident voice asked again.

"Orbs, Apples, could this mean. . . an Exploration and Rescue Team?! Maybe. . ." the young Marill thought as she remembered her family and village, driving her to tears once more at the thought of dried berries. She summoned her willpower to make the last few steps towards the rescue team, and revealed herself to them as she stepped in front of a large rock.

Blastoise, Vaporeon, and Flareon immediately jumped into a ready position as Marsee approached them with tears running down her body. "I need help; you're a rescue team, right? Help me. . . " Marsee muttered as she collapsed from exhaustion, continuing to sob into the sand.

Vaporeon and Blastoise rushed to Marsee's side as Flareon stared at them with his mouth wide open at their sudden leave–shocked. "What are you guys doing?! We have a dungeon to take care of fools!" Flareon exclaimed from his insensitivity.

Blastoise glared at Flareon, opened his cannons, then fired a jet of water at Flareon. Effectively knocking him into the damp rocks–stunned.

"It's our job to help Pokemon in need, this dungeon can wait!" Blastoise spat at Flareon as he rummaged through the bag for the Apples.

Vaporeon tried her best to calm down Marsee. "Shh, shhh, it's okay. . ." Vaporeon gently coaxed as she stroked Marsee's head with her paw.

Flareon came to his senses when he saw Blastoise handing the crybaby of a Marill one of their precious red Apples, and quickly sprinted up to them.

"Be careful, it might be a trap!" Flareon shouted, as he was slapped by an Aqua Tail from Vaporeon, having the same effect on Flareon as Blastoise's blast of water.

"Hey!" Flareon yelled.

"Flareon, just cool it. This Marill is starving and couldn't harm us if she tried to. Let me talk to her alright?" Vaporeon assured Flareon.

"Then why did you have to attack me?" Flareon asked.

"Watch your language next time, especially in front of this poor thing." Blastoise said. "Now let me give her an apple please. She's hungry."

"Fine. . ." Flareon watched Blastoise hand the apple to Marsee's downed body.

"What? Oh thanks sir." Marsee sat up with the apple in her hands and ate it bite by bite. "Whew, much better."

"Now, what happened to make you this upset? And what's your name?" Vaporeon curiously asked.

"I-I'm Marsee. My home, Calder Lake, was attacked by some bad Pokemon and a lot of them. They were everywhere. And my momma and pappa. . ." Marsee squeaked, and then started crying again.

"Ssshh, I'm sure they're okay Marsee, can you tell us anymore of what happened? And where's Calder Lake?" Vaporeon asked as she wiped Marsee's tears.

"I saw our stone houses being b-blown up ruthlessly by orb-like Pokémon, all my friends were tied up after trying to fight back," Marsee choked then continued "and I ran–ran away from the disaster. And I had no idea where to go. . ." Marsee stopped talking as she cried once more, leaning her head onto Vaporeon's forehead.

"It's okay now, we're going to take care of you, alright?" Vaporeon looked right into Marsee's wet eyes, feeling some of her tears. "But before we can help your town, and your parents, tell us how many there were, where they came from, and who led them."

"There were enough of them to fill this whole beach. . ." Marsee pointed to the cave's entrance, then to the ground she laid. "From the cave to this spot, all explosive. I don't know who led them all but I think it was a Grumpig. . . uhh what was his name..."

"Go on. . ." Vaporeon said.

"Grayboar, yes that's it. And Calder lake is a long walk north of here next to the desert." Marsee responded.

"Grayboar!" Vaporeon threw a serious glance to Blastoise and Flareon, then they both nodded.

Flareon piped up "We may not be able to handle them all, but. . ." Flareon couldn't find the words he looked for, and stirred the wet sand trying to find them.

"We know more pokémon who'll be willing to help." Blastoise confidently said. "How about it? We'll go get some help, then everything will be good then! Wanna come?"

Marsee leapt up from her spot with Vaporeon and did her best to hug Blastoise's belly. Then she returned to Vaporeon's side, cuddling her for warmth and support.

"It's settled then, to the Wigglytuff's Guild!" Flareon enthusiastically proclaimed as the team and Marsee headed south-east to the Wigglytuff's Guild in Treasure Town.

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Yeah Syam08 I forgot about that part you helped with on chapter 1, still you wrote a lot on this collab, be happy. Anyway, hope everyone is liking the collab so far here.


	4. Chapter 4, Onsetting Rains

_Chapter 4 written by LH64. With credits to Eevee, Shadow, and Mario's proofreading_

_Edited by AC._

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**Chapter 4, Onsetting Rains.**

Marsee, Vaporeon, Flareon, and Blastoise had to swing in a major arc going east, south, then west to reach Treasure Town from Brine Cave. Most of the coastline they followed grazed their feet with fine sand and occasional patches of beach grass, the sea's waves crashing on their right. The left side view changed from rocks that was Brine cave, to distant plateaus bordering the Northern Desert, to a dense forest of many trees that is Mystifying Forest, to a hilltop and Serenity River (which they also crossed easily, especially Marsee, who had healed enough to swim through), then buffalograss covered plains with spots of forest.

Finally, they walked off the beach and along a trail, stirring up dust as they walked. Marsee had been carried by Blastoise all this time due to her fatigue, as the clouds became thicker and darker a little after noon. Perhaps it's just about afternoon.

As Marsee awoke from a little nap around Blastoise's neck she became curious about her surroundings. Looking down the dirt trail, up the Oak and Maple trees, and down at the grasses on either side. Sure, Calder Lake had some plant-life around the water, but there was no body of water here. After about a minute Vaporeon noticed how Marsee observed everything around her.

"You must not be familiar with this kind of light forest and plains." Vaporeon noted, looking up at Marsee.

"Huh?" Marsee looked back down from Blastoise's neck. "I guess not. The only forest I've ever seen is near the lake. There's so much out here!" She gazed at a small bush as if it were the gold at the end of the rainbow.

"Never been outside of Calder Lake?" Flareon asked.

Marsee flinched, then calmed again. "Uh, yeah. I've never left my home before. In fact, how do these plants even grow? I don't see a body of water anywhere."

"What?" Vaporeon asked, then understood what she meant. "Oh, there's enough rain to keep plants alive. They don't need a river or lake to do the work. You do get rain at Calder Lake, right?"

"Yeah." Marsee answered with a slight frown. "Rarely, but yes, we do get some rain. Anyway, how much longer to this Treasure Town?"

"You haven't heard of Treasure Town either?" Blastoise asked.

"The rescue teams that have visited my home have talked about Treasure Town, but I've never been there, nor the Wigglytuff Guild." Marsee sighed and rested her body back onto Blastoise's neck, relaxing her back as she laid down upon it.

"Do you see it yet?" Flareon stepped out onto an intersection, then pointed right, down a dirt road. "I see a few buildings in the distance, along with the stairs leading to the guild. Let's go, guys." Flareon paced along faster as he got closer to Treasure Town.

Marsee peaked over, then decided to wait until they got there to see the town. The clouds darkened to be a solid taupe gray, horizon to horizon across the skies. Whenever the clouds got that dark, rain inevitably followed, along with wet dirt, wet feet, and Pokémon rushing for shelter.

"Good" Vaporeon looked forward to the crossroads. "Now you won't be complaining about getting wet, Flareon. That is, provided you get to the guild before the storm hits." She had a half-smile.

"Of course, just hurry up," grumbled Flareon. "We have to talk to Chatot, and maybe Wigglytuff, you know." He looked at them while walking backwards.

Marsee opened her nose and took in the scents around her. The sea-salt stench from the beach they traveled on was gone, replaced with the smell of resin from within the tree trunks, choking dust from the dry, dirt road, and a spectrum of flowers scattered on the grasses. Due to how new she was to these smells, Marsee could smell them very strongly.

"Footprint detected!" Marsee woke up from her daze and realized she and Blastoise stood on top of a rock outcrop with a green foliage of trees hugging the base of the cliff, the sea's coastline up north. "It's Flareon, from Team Hydro Knights right?"

"It's our name, don't wear it out." Flareon called down into a grate-covered hole with a circle of stones around it.

"Huh? What's this?" Marsee jumped off Blastoise.

"What's that on Blastoise's shoulder?" The voice from the hole called.

Marsee looked forward and saw an iron gate in the mouth of a Wigglytuff-shaped tent. The ground was solid brown rock with patches of grass and flowers. Wooden poles engraved with Pokémon's faces stood on either side. Six X-shaped pointed logs of wood were pinned into the ground on either side. The rock staircase descended behind Marsee, and bird Pokémon chirped from within the forest below. But the hole with the grate. . .

"What is that thing?" Marsee pointed to the hole.

"Oh, that's just Diglett." Vaporeon said. "Say hi to Diglett, Marsee."

"Hi."

"Uh-huh. Just step onto the grate Marsee" Diglett requested.

"Okay." Marsee stood on the grate.

"Oh, you guys have a Marill with you huh? Neat." Diglett complimented.

"Just open the gate, Diglett, we have some important things to discuss with Chatot" Blastoise said.

"Alright." The gate screeched as it cracked open, leading to a wooden ladder descending into a hole - the first floor of the guild down below.

"Come on Marsee." The team led Marsee down into the guild.

The first floor of the guild was the floor for missions and post-mission gatherings, two boards on either side for job listings. But Marsee didn't see much more than the grass growth for flooring, rock and brick walls, and the ceiling before she was taken down another level to the bottom floor of the guild.

When Marsee bounced off the dirt at the base of the ladder, she walked forward onto the grass floor and looked around as the team came down to re-group.

"Nice place huh?" Flareon asked Marsee.

"Oh, yes it is."

The smell from Croagunk's purple pot to Marsee's right made her sway backward upon having it enter her nose. But the green floor, vine-rooted brick and stone walls, and the relief of flowers helped make it up.

"So where's Chatot?" Vaporeon asked as she looked around the room.

"The door's closed." Flareon observed. "He's inside Wigglytuff's office."

"Chatot?" Blastoise called as he stepped up the wooden door.

"Gawk! What is it?" a voice inside replied.

"We've got news." Chatot opened the door and hopped out upon hearing these words.

Chatot's voice spoke sternly and without music, even though he processed a music symbol on his head. His wings were drooped and appeared to be tired from the day's work.

"News?" he asked. "What could it be now?"

"Heard of Calder Lake?" Blastoise asked.

"Of course I have, I've even flown over its waters, and who is that Marill?"

"I'm Marsee." she replied.

"Listen Chatot, Calder Lake has been taken over, and she managed to escape." Blastoise said.

"By who?" he asked.

"Grayboar."

"Oh great, more bad news. Just like with Magnum up at Amp Plains taking over the land and Alakazam taking over every single forest and jungle in the north east. Now you're telling me there's a third force in the north west?" Chatot complained.

"Well yes, Grayboar the Grumpig has taken over Calder Lake." Blastoise said.

Marsee stood silent and watched as Blastoise and Chatot talked. Same with Flareon and Vaporeon.

"There's more bad guys than just Grayboar?" Marsee thought.

"Tell me what happened." he said.

Blastoise reported everything that Marsee said about Calder Lake and Greyboar, including the orb-like Pokémon blowing up the houses, tying up Pokemon, and the general destruction of the area.

"Any questions?" Blastoise said.

"So I'm gonna assume you want my guild to help free this town?"

"Yes." Blastoise said.

"Seriously?" Chatot asked again.

Marsee awaited Chatot's answer, sweating, and hoping for the best.

"Yes, are we going to have the guild free them?"

"Squawk! I'm not risking the lives of our teams!" Chatot yelled and flapped his wings at Blastoise.

"But-"

"I mean it! There's no way I'm sending anyone up th-"

Marsee flushed with anger with her face going red from hearing Chatot refusing to help.

"Grr, Chatot! Why won't you help my home!?" Marsee stomped her foot and glared at Chatot.

"You dumb kid." Chatot glared back and tightened his muscles. "I've sent teams against Magnum already, they've endured a lot of injuries and are lucky to be alive. Why should I risk having anyone go on the offensive again?"

"Because you're supposed to help other Pokémon!" Marsee responded.

"I said 'lucky to be alive', we simply don't have the strength to be dealing with anymore enemies. . . ."

"What does Wigglytuff say then!?" Marsee demanded.

"He's already asleep, and I can assure you that he also understands we are unable to help." Chatot replied.

"Don't you get it! Grayboar and whoever else will take over this whole stinking town if you don't try to stop them now." Marsee said

"I'm sorry, I just can't help y-" Marsee jumped at Chatot ready to punch. "Squawk!"

Vaporeon tackled Marsee and pinned her body hard against the grass. "Calm down Marsee, calm down. . . ."

"B-But. . . Wah!" Marsee's tears starting dripping onto the ground, absorbing into the dirt.

Chatot felt remorseful towards Marsee, pitying her. "I-I'm sorry, you'll have to find someone else to help you out. Try talking to Torkoal tomorrow, he should have some wisdom to aid you. As for tonight, rest up. There's a rainstorm going on outside right now and I don't think you want to be out there. Goodnight." Chatot walked into the office, with a tear forming on his left eye as he entered, then the door shut behind him.

"I thought we were going to have help Vaporeon." Marsee choked.

"I'm so sorry Marsee, but what he said is final. We'll try again with Torkoal tomorrow alright?"

"A-alright." Marsee sobered into the grass, her ears lying on the ground, and her tail dead.

Vaporeon then gave Marsee a hug around her body with her front legs. "Huh?" Vaporeon's hug relaxed every muscle in Marsee's body and eased her tears.

"Ssshh, stop crying alright? Everything will be alright, we'll talk with Torkoal first thing in the morning then follow his advice. We have a hay bed waiting for you, so get to bed alright sweetie?"

Marsee swallowed down her tears, looked at Vaporeon with her reddened eyes then hugged her back.

"Thanks so much for taking care of me Vaporeon." Marsee said as she shook.

"You're welcome Marsee." Vaporeon said, then broke away and led her down the hallway to their team's room, the rest of the team followed. "Alright here's your bed."

But there were only three hay beds, Blastoise laid down onto his, Flareon sat on his, and Vaporeon stood on the floor.

"You're letting me use your bed?" Marsee asked.

"Of course I am, I can sleep on the floor. Now have a little nap before dinner, then sleep for the night alright everyone?"

"Yes." They answered.

The flames on the Wigglytuff Guild's poles could not be lit tonight. The rain outside flattened every blade of grass, eroded streams of mud into the sea, turned sunset to night, bent tree branches, and shot ponds into the holes of roads and trails. As Marsee and the others tried sleeping, raindrops screeched into their ears. Stars could not warm the night through the blackness of the storm. And they call that the rain of life?

* * *

Also had a new member to our site recently go into the chatbox (look lower to see it on the website), and, yeah, it was fun seeing a new member.


	5. Chapter 5, The Talk With the Turtle

_Written by Syam08, re-written by LH64 with help of Eevee, and AC._

* * *

**Chapter. 5 The Talk With the Turtle.**

The orange glow of the sun began to rise from the eastern mountains, creeping it's way over the long past storm clouds, and towards the guild. . . Marsee and her newfound companions dreamed in peace as they slept.

Then clunking footsteps began coming up the hall outside, with laughter paired at the same time.

"WAKE UP! IT'S MORNING TEAM HYDRO KNIGHTS!" A booming voice thundered into the room. Blastoise held his ears because they were ringing from Loudred's yelling.

"Different guilds have different wake up crew, huh. . . I prefer the Whismur over this..." Blastoise quietly talked to himself as he watched Flareon have a seizure from Loudred's voice. Vaporeon woke up wide-eyed from the noise. While Marsee rolled around on her hay bed holding her ears and eyes closed.

The Loudred left the Marill and Team Hydro Knights with a proud "yes, I'm the best at waking Pokémon up" smile on his face as he went to line everyone up for morning roll call.

"Marsee, are you okay?" Vaporeon looked at Marsee with concern as she rolled around in pain.

"My ears..." Marsee complained.

"What I do is relax and let the pain drive through. Try that." Vaporeon suggested.

"Oww oww..." Marsee relaxed on the bed and let the pain go through. "Gives me a big headache but ya know I can deal with it. Just so long as I don't deal with it again, please?"

"Oh don't worry you'll be fine Marsee, hmm?" Vaporeon turned her head to the room's entrance towards the sound of flapping wings.

Chatot's wings flustered as he flew in and landed in the center of the room. He looked at Marsee then everyone else in the team with a perked beak and spoke with a voice of soft winds that cools one off in the heat of summer.

"I'm sorry, but I forgot to mention that our guild members love yelling others awake as wake up calls. Are you okay Miss Marsee?" Chatot's expressions appear to be apologetic as the team prepared to leave.

"You can get to elder Torkoal's abode if you take the east road from Treasure Town's crossroads through Lushi Prairie. . . Take care madam" Chatot sighed a bit as he watched the team leave the room, then went over to Loudred to lecture him about why he shouldn't do thundering morning calls to anyone other then the apprentice members of the guild.

Marsee and Team Hydro Knights traveled off to the east road, and the dirt which it consisted of was slippery and wet. . . Flareon freaked out whenever he stepped in a puddle of water as the group moved on to the Elder's abode. The landscape became rugged, grassy, then wet at some points. Then Marsee and her friends saw a steaming pool of water with a teddiursa and a ursaring playing around in the spa of white steam.

Overseeing it all at the middle edge of the pool stood a Torkoal. Who pressed his eyes over every angle of the pool with the surrounding grass and Willow trees. His face always smiled, coal smoke rose from within his shell, and his voice spoke as if it has been used for decades before.

"Hello strangers, welcome to my hot springs. Relax your tired bones here and rejuvenate yourselves" Torkoal chuckled a bit.

"Thank you Elder Torkoal for your invitation" Blastoise, Marill and Vaporeon quickly jumped into the hot springs. With a worried face the Blastoise started to introduce themselves and their situation.

"Elder Torkoal, we are the members of Team Hydro Knights." Blastoise started.

"Nice to meet you Team Hydro Knights, what's with the long face Blastoise?" Torkoal paid attention and smiled to Blastoise as he neared the edge even closer, being careful that he won't fall in.

"Yesterday we found this Marill called Marsee, from her say she says that Calder Lake, her hometown was captured by a Grumpig by the name of Grayboar. Do you know much about him?" Blastoise asked with his eyes fixed on Torkoal and his lips straight serious.

"Grayboar, Grayboar.... hmmm." Torkoal went into deep thought.

While Blastoise waited for a response from Torkoal, Vaporeon started dissolving and appearing in the water's surface playfully right in front of Flareon, who cringed at the water's edge.

"What's wrong Flareon? It's steaming water! You should be able to come in. . ." Vaporeon smiled.

"It's steaming, but it's still water Vaporeon, you should know I'm no good with water. . ." Flareon seemed to hold his ground. Marsee sees this while she swam in the warm water and joins in.

"Flareon! It feels good! Jump in!" Marsee smiled as she did a back-flip.

"Yeah Flareon come in!" Vaporeon riled even more, but yet Flareon remains on the edge.

Marsee suddenly shoots a water gun at Flareon's feet, making him slip, falling right on top of Vaporeon's head and splashing on her right side. . .

Flareon's face turns blasted with anger, but the water cooled his attitude as he relaxed into it.

"This isn't so bad. . ." Flareon seemed to turn a bit brighter as Vaporeon laughed at Flareon's blushing face.

"We told you it's not that bad, it's the hot springs, just think if a magcargo tried to get in here." Flareon and Vaporeon both laughed at the images they created in their heads, Marsee looked confused.

Torkoal shot his head up–enlightened as the information from his past experiences flowed right back to him.

"Aha! Now I remember, Swinus Grayboar right?" Torkoal asked Blastoise in a jolly tone.

"Yes Elder Torkoal, tell us everything you know about him" The Blastoise looks concerned.

"I dunno how he came into power, he just appeared but he seemed to be a sole survivor from a pokemon village where all of it's residents just expired in the same day. Nothing good is heard about Grayboar, and multiple teams have been set up to hunt for them I think. . ." Torkoal looks serious as well.

"Can you tell us those team's names?" Blastoise asks with a small smile of hope. Torkoal ponders again, this time the information seems to have reached his mouth in a click.

"Yes their names were. . . team starlight Warriors and Team Blazing steel. You might want to know this younglings." The team circled Torkoal in anticipation.

"Grayboar isn't the only one trying to conquer places. Rumors are going around that a pokemon by the name of Magnum and a certain Alakazam seem to plot territorial control of our world from elsewhere. Good luck and take care, young adventurers" Torkoal smiled.

"Control?" Vaporeon asked.

"Yes, control. As if all three forces are working together to take over whatever land they can." Torkoal said. "I hope they can be stopped."

"Any more advice Elder?" Blastoise asked with admiration.

"You're looking for friends right? Go to Mt. Bristle, I've heard rumors that Team Blazing Steel is training there at the moment." The Torkoal smiled again. "I'm getting tired, I wish you luck young ones."

"Thanks for the information and advice Elder Torkoal." Blastoise and the others left the Hot Springs to head out towards Oran Forest en-route to Mount Bristle as the sun began to glare at the earth as it reached noon.


	6. Chapter 6, Into the Woods

_Authors: Syam08, DH & AC  
Re-written by LH (me)_

* * *

**Chapter 6: Into the woods.**

Marsee and the members of Team Hydro Knights traveled into Oran Forest towards Mt. Bristle in search of Team Blazing Steel. Their food dwindled to only one berry and an apple from their trip. But Oran Forest's clearings provide a sustenance of Oran berry bushes. Which grow where the light polishes the forest moss and grass. The bushes lurk inside the forest, and will soon be most helpful.

The canopy of Cedar and Oak leaves greened out the sun; while also creating systems of limbs where you always think you're being watched by something–a leaf hitting these limbs then the ground would make anyone wonder what caused it.

A Blastoise led the team, Marsee followed nearby in the middle of the group, while Vaporeon followed behind Marsee, and Flareon guarded the rear of the group.

"Marsee, are you all right?" Blastoise looked back to see his refugee keeping up with with a slight lag in the walk.

"I can keep up" Marsee replied, smiling.

"Tell us if you need to eat something, ok?" Vaporeon informed from the lower middle of the line. "Just want you to stay safe and healthy baby.

"I got our backs covered" Flareon yelled to the lead.

"Don't let anything bite us in the rear Flareon" Blastoise yelled back with a light chuckle.

"You know I never miss a thing" Flareon fired back.

Flareon jumped about, upon hearing a dried oak leaf bump lower branches of leaves, tingle down old man's beard moss, then level off at the grass.

"Going to save me from that leaf?"

"Shut up Blastoise. . ." Flareon frowned.

"So Team Blazing Steel is supposed to be somewhere on Mt. Bristle huh?" Marsee said.

"Yeah." Blastoise replied.

"Mmhmm." Vaporeon looked around at the flatlands of Oran Forest's floor, the trees, the moss, the cracking noises, and the possible far-away blue known as Oran Berries. Listening not to her team mates, but to the woods.

"I bet we'll find them" Flareon yelled from the back.

"I think we will, how's the item bag's Food Ration looking Vaporeon?" Blastoise asked Vaporeon, who snapped out of her daydreaming and checked the bag.

"We're running out, there is only one apple and one Oran Berry left." Vaporeon reports.

"Then our priority is to search for Oran Berries" Blastoise replied. He suddenly stopped and called break time for the team.

"Okay, I'll head farther into the forest and collect us some berries." said Vaporeon.

Flareon leaped up. "I'll come with you" he offered.

So Flareon and Vaporeon tagged up and searched the forest.

Once they got far enough into the forest, Flareon picked up his pace a bit and stopped in front of Vaporeon.

"You know, if things ever get too much for you, like if you ever get tired, don't be afraid to speak up and ask for a break." Flareon concerned.

"Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean you have to treat me like a little kid" Vaporeon looked away from Flareon in disgust.

"No! I didn't mean it like that, I just mean you look tired, and like, you try too hard sometimes. And. . I kinda care about you." Flareon said, blushing.

"Oh" Vaporeon said, flattered. "Well, thanks for your concern, but I've been on rescue teams longer than you have, I know when eno -"

Flareon interrupted Vaporeon as he leaned forward, then kissed her cheek, eyes-closed.

"I've always kinda liked you a bit, even though you get on my nerves a lot." Flareon said, winking at Vaporeon and grinning.

"Hmm, maybe I do like you a bit" Vaporeon said, teasing.

"Oh?" Flareon said, surprised. "How much?"

"You'll never know." Vaporeon winked back.

Vaporeon turned and found a near by bush filled with Oran Berries and picked some; Flareon smiled and collected berries as well.

After the two Pokémon collected enough berries, they returned to the team. Who were waiting where they had left them.

"About time" Blastoise said, reaching for the berries Flareon and Vaporeon had gathered in their sack.

"Sorry about that, me and Vaporeon had a little chat." Flareon said while smirking. Vaporeon rolled her eyes and handed Marsee some berries.

Suddenly a flapping sound was heard in a distance. . .

"Halt, did you hear that?" Blastoise asked his team.

"Hear what-" The Flareon stood quietly as he heard something coming closer with a flap of wings and leaves rustling.

"What was that?" Marsee sounds terrified as she started curling up into a ball.

"Is that maybe-" The Vaporeon couldn't finish her sentence before a sudden shriek filled the forest.

"A bird of prey of the forest...." Blastoise confirmed.

The sound of wings gliding through the shade of the dense forest drew near as the group saw a noctowl staring at them, and particularly at Marsee.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Blastoise barked. The Pokemon seemed to ignore the question as the owl's eyes were locked onto Marsee from upon a tree's branch.

"Ooooh a juicy looking little mouse, I was thinking of having a meal" Noctowl stared at Marsee with intimidating eyes.

"Can't you go get a Rattata you old owl?" Vaporeon took an attack stance.

"Rattata? but they all run away when they hear my wings flap, and I haven't had a Marill in such a long time" Noctowl formed a devilish smile full of desire.

"Marsee is our friend, not your lunch!" Flareon also growled and stepped in front of Marsee.

"Oh so her name is Marsee, I'll remember that when my hunger is satisfied. maybe I'll just hang pieces of her bones to my treetop home" The Noctowl seems to be drifting off into his imagination.

"You old creep, you'll never have Marsee" Blastoise growled and stomped his feet.

"But I need food" Noctowl asked innocently.

"Go eat a oran berry" Vaporeon growled.

"You know nothing you little fish freak! I ate lots of oran berries... so much I thought my tongue and mouth would turn blue and I am sick of it. I can barely catch a Rattata, but a marill, a young little marill, I can.." The Noctowl looks very evil at this point, driven with motivation to consume live prey.

"Well you're not taking her away from us!" Vaporeon, Flareon and Blastoise all roared at the Noctowl simultaneously. Suddenly the entire team heard a buzzing noise and saw the Noctowl get electrocuted in front of the passage he was on. The Noctowl fell on the ground with a new darker brown coloration and the fume of a burnt Pokémon started wafting through the air, the Noctowl instantly fainted.

"I couldn't even have time to shoot my ice beam at him" Vaporeon seems disappointed.

"What was that?" Flareon looks around.

"I don't really know" Vaporeon looked troubled a bit.

"A friendly pokémon?" Blastoise guessed as the leader.

"But we already have four members in our team, who could possibly try to ally with us?" Vaporeon questioned.

"We should continue looking for oran berries." Blastoise quietly started walking as Marsee and others followed.


End file.
